I Must Here Mention A Comical Mistake Of Herr Beske, Of Novo Friburgo, Which We At First Could Not Understand, But Which Afterwards Afforded A Good Deal Of Amusement.

Herr Beske had recommended us a guide, whom he described as a walking encyclopaedia of knowledge, and able to answer all our questions about trees, plants, scenery, etc., in the most complete manner.

We esteemed ourselves exceedingly fortunate to obtain such a phoenix of a guide, and immediately took advantage of every opportunity to put his powers to the test. He could, however, tell us nothing at all; if we asked him the name of a river, he replied that it was too small, and had no name. The trees, likewise, were too insignificant, the plants too common. This ignorance was rather too much; we made inquiry, and found that Herr Beske had not intended to send us the guide we had, but his brother, who, however, had died six months previously - a circumstance which Herr Beske must have forgotten.

On the evening of the 18th of October, we arrived safely in Rio Janeiro. We immediately inquired about the christening, and heard it had been put off till the 15th of November, and that on the 19th of October only the Emperor's anniversary would be kept. We had thus hurried back to no purpose, without visiting the waterfall near Novo Friburgo, which we might have admired very much at our leisure.

On our return we only came eight miles out of our way.

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